JPH03244372A - Apparatus for quick freezing of agricultural and marine product or processed food - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To cut down the cost and improve freshness by equipping a net conveyor for introducing foods to be frozen to a refrigeration tank and for immersing them into an antifreezing solution stored therein and an agitation system, a purification system, a cooling system respectively for the antifreezing solution and freezing a large amount of the products in a short time. CONSTITUTION:An antifreezing solution 14 mainly composed of ethyl alcohol and distilled water and stored in a refrigeration tank 12 is cooled by a cooling system 22. A net conveyor is then rotated using a motor 46 in the direction of the arrow mark and foods to be frozen which have been packaged with a film at a position of a bed plate 28 on the left side are placed on the upper surface of a net body, introduced to the refrigeration tank 12 while being pushed by respective push board 44 and immersed in the antifreezing solution 14 therein. The above-mentioned foods to be frozen are frozen while passing through the antifreezing solution 14. As the net body of the net conveyor rises of the bed plate 28 on the right side of the refrigeration tank 12, the above-mentioned frozen foods also go up out of the antifreezing solution 14. Oil contaminated in the freezing solution during rotation of the net conveyor is removed by attaching an agitating blade 48 to the refrigeration tank 12, agitating the antifreezing solution and circulating the antifreezing solution to an oil cleaner pump 56.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] ■ Purpose of the invention (1) Industrial application field This invention relates to a device for rapidly freezing agricultural and marine products and processed foods, and is a division from Patent Application No. 246618 filed in 1985. .

(2) Conventional technology In recent years, agricultural and marine products and processed foods have been processed as frozen foods.
In many cases, it is sold after being pretreated and quickly frozen, and then kept in a refrigerator at a temperature of -18°C or lower. In a freezer that performs quick freezing, a cooler with a normal refrigeration cycle is installed inside the refrigerator, and the inside of the refrigerator is cooled to about -40° C. by forced convection with a fan.

(3) Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since the above-mentioned freezer freezes the items to be frozen while supplying cold air using a fan convection method, it takes a long time (approximately 24 hours) to freeze the items. There are disadvantages such as the freshness of the food tends to deteriorate, the power consumption increases, and furthermore, the equipment cost increases because a large space is required in the freezer, and the cost of freezing treatment tends to become expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to provide a quick freezing device that can freeze agricultural and marine products and processed foods in large quantities in a short period of time and at low cost. be.

■ Structure of the Invention (1) Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, there is provided an apparatus for freezing agricultural and marine products and processed foods while passing through cooled antifreeze, the apparatus comprising: a freezing tank; 12, an antifreeze solution 14 which is stored in the freezing tank 12 and whose main components are ethyl alcohol and distilled water, a net conveyor 16 for immersing and guiding the items to be frozen in the antifreezing solution 14, and an antifreeze solution in the freezing tank 12. The refrigerating tank 12 is constructed within a machine frame 24 with longitudinal sides extending along both sides, and a heat insulating material 26 on the outer peripheral surface. The net conveyor 16 has a pair of chain guides 30, 30 attached from the inner wall surface in the longitudinal direction of the tank to the upper surface of the bed plate, and a base plate 28 at both longitudinal ends of the tank. A pair of endless chains 36.36 are fitted into the chain guides 30.30 and looped around the bottom surface of the tank, and a mesh body 40 and a pushing plate 44 are mounted on the endless chains 36.36. and the stirring [118
includes a stirring blade 48 that is pivotally supported on one inner wall surface of the tank and interlocks with a prime mover 50 on the outer surface of the tank, and the purification mechanism 20
is a suction pipe 52 communicating with the tank and a circulation inflow pipe 54.
and a suction pipe 52 and a circulation inflow pipe 54 installed on the outer surface of the tank.
The cooling mechanism 22 includes a cooler 58 installed in the tank and connected to an external cooling mechanism, and the cooling mechanism 22 is equipped with a cooler 58 installed in the tank and connected to an external cooling mechanism, and the items to be frozen are placed on a net conveyor and the cooling mechanism 22 is installed in the tank and connected to an external cooling mechanism. It is comprised of a quick freezing device 10 that performs freezing processing while passing through cooled antifreeze.

The cooling mechanism 22 also includes a circulating water pipe that communicates with the inside of the tank, and an external refrigeration mechanism 6 that communicates with the circulating water pipe.
It is also possible to include 0.

(2) Function The rapid freezing device according to the present invention stores an antifreeze solution mainly composed of ethyl alcohol and distilled water in a freezing tank,
The antifreeze is cooled to about -30 to -50°C by a cooling mechanism, and the frozen products, such as packaged agricultural and marine products and processed foods, or unprocessed agricultural and marine products and processed foods, are delivered to one end of the net conveyor. Rapid freezing is performed while continuously loading the material.

The antifreeze in the freezing tank is stirred by a stirring mechanism to equalize the temperature, and the antifreeze is further circulated to the oil cleaner pump to remove oil that flows into the antifreeze while the net conveyor rotates, so that the frozen products are free from oil. This is to prevent contamination.

(3) Embodiments Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the quick freezing device 10 includes a freezing tank 12, an antifreeze 14 stored in the freezing tank 12 and containing ethyl alcohol and distilled water as main components, and a net conveyor 16 for immersing and guiding the products to be frozen, a stirring mechanism 18 for the antifreeze 14 in the freezing tank 2, a purification mechanism 20 for the antifreeze 14, and a cooling mechanism 2.
2.

The refrigerating tank 12 is installed within a machine frame 24, and a heat insulating material 26 is attached to the outer peripheral surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the net conveyor 16 is
A chain guide 30.30 is fixed from the center height position of the longitudinal inner wall surface of the refrigerating tank 12 to the upper surface of the base plate 28.28 at both ends, and a chain guide 30.30 is fixed to the top surface of the base plate 28. A pair of first chain wheels 34a and a second chain wheel 34b fixed to the first rotation shaft 32a and the second rotation shaft 32b in correspondence with the chain guide, and their vertical positions in the machine frame 24 below the right bed plate 28. A third rotating shaft 32c and a fourth rotating shaft 3 are pivotally supported by
A pair of third chain wheel 34c and a fourth chain wheel 34d are respectively fixed to 2a, and a fifth rotation shaft 32e and a sixth rotation shaft 32e and 6 A pair of fifth chain wheel 34e and sixth chain wheel 34f each fixed to rotating shaft 32f
and 1 fitted to the chain guide 30.30.
A pair of endless chains 36, 36 are wound around the chain wheels of each of the rotating shafts, and are made to circulate from inside the refrigerating tank 12 to the lower surface.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, endless chains 3 facing each other
6.36 are linked together by a number of shafts 38 with appropriate gaps, and a net 40 is installed on these shafts 38 and circulated in a belt-like manner. Furthermore, an inverted mold plate 42.42 is attached to the inner surface of the endless chain 36.36 at the position of each shaft 38, and both ends of the pushing plate 44 are fixed to this inverted mold plate.

As shown in FIG. 2, the net conveyor 16 is guided around the net conveyor 16 by interlocking the prime mover 46 installed in the right side of the machine frame 24 and the third rotating shaft 32c. As shown, the antifreeze stirring mechanism 18 is connected to the freezing tank 12.
A stirring blade 48 is pivotally supported on the inner surface of the external prime mover 50.
It is linked with

The antifreeze purification mechanism 20 connects an oil cleaner pump 56 with a suction pipe 52 and a circulation inflow pipe 54 that communicate with the bottom of the freezing tank 12 . Furthermore, the cooling mechanism 22
A cooler 58 is installed on the bottom of the refrigeration tank 12 and is linked to an external refrigeration mechanism.

Further, the cooling mechanism 22 may have an external refrigeration mechanism 60 connected to the refrigeration tank 12 via a pump 62 and a circulation vibro 4, as shown in FIG.

In the embodiment described above, when freezing agricultural and marine products such as vegetables, fruits, meat, and fish, or products to be frozen such as processed foods, the antifreeze 14 stored in the freezing tank 12 is used by the cooling mechanism 22. Cool to -30°C to -50°C. Then, the net conveyor 16 is rotated by the prime mover 46 as shown by the arrow in FIG. It is guided to be immersed in the antifreeze liquid 14 in the freezing tank 12 while being pushed by a pushing plate 44. The items to be frozen are frozen while passing through the antifreeze liquid 14 which is cooled to below -30°C, and when the net body 40 of the net conveyor 16 rises to the base plate 28 on the right side of the freezing tank 12, the items to be frozen are also inside the antifreeze liquid. The net conveyor 16 rises together with the second rotating shaft 3.
When turning downward at the position 2b, the frozen products are sequentially discharged into the chute 66. This frozen product is stored and stored directly in the refrigerator.

A stirring blade 48 is provided in the freezing tank 12 to stir the antifreeze to a uniform temperature, and an oil cleaner pump 56
This is to remove oil that flows into the antifreeze while the net conveyor 16 rotates.

Since the antifreeze liquid 14 has ethyl alcohol and distilled water as its main components, even if a portion of the antifreeze liquid seeps into the frozen product, it will not cause any harm to the human body, and it can be frozen directly underneath without film packaging. This is a good product and allows the freezing work to be carried out at low cost in a short time of about 30 minutes without causing corrosion due to oxidation in the freezing tank 12.

■ Effects of the Invention As explained above, the present invention saves costs by freezing a large amount of products in a short time without requiring a large space compared to the conventional freezing process in a freezer. The freshness of fresh foods can also be improved.

10., Rapid freezing device, 12. ,,refrigeration tank 14,
,, antifreeze, 16. ,, Net conveyor 18, , Stirring mechanism, 20. ,,purification mechanism, 2290. Cooling mechanism, 3
0. ,, Chain guide, 36°1. Endless chain, 40.
,, net body, 44. ,, pushing plate, 48. ,, Stirring mechanism, 5
6. ,, oil cleaner pump, 60. ,,external refrigeration mechanism

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a rapid freezing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1, and FIG. teeth,
Same < A partially enlarged sectional view taken along the line B-B, FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged plan view of the net conveyor, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line C-C, and FIG. 7 is another implementation of the refrigeration mechanism. It is a partial top view of an example.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An apparatus for freezing agricultural and marine products and processed foods while passing through cooled antifreeze, the apparatus comprising: a freezing tank;
An antifreeze solution whose main components are ethyl alcohol and distilled water stored in a freezing tank, a net conveyor for immersing frozen items in this antifreeze solution, a stirring mechanism for the antifreeze solution in the freezing tank, and purification of the antifreeze solution. The refrigerating tank is constructed within a machine frame with longitudinal sides extending in both directions, and has a heat insulating material attached to the outer peripheral surface, and a base plate at both longitudinal ends of the tank. The net conveyor has a pair of chain guides attached from the inner wall surface in the longitudinal direction of the tank to the upper surface of the base plate, and a pair of chain guides fitted to the chain guides and wrapped around the lower surface of the tank. an endless chain, a mesh body and a pushing plate mounted on the endless chain, and the stirring mechanism includes a stirring blade that is pivotally supported on one inner wall surface of the tank and interlocks with a prime mover on the outer surface of the tank, The purification mechanism includes a suction pipe that communicates with the tank, a circulation inflow pipe, and an oil cleaner pump that is installed on the outer surface of the tank and communicates with the suction pipe and the circulation inflow pipe, and the cooling mechanism includes a suction pipe that communicates with the tank. Agricultural and marine products and processed foods that are equipped with a cooler that is installed and connected to an external cooling mechanism, and that the products to be frozen are quickly frozen while being placed on a net conveyor and passed through cooled antifreeze in a tank. type of quick freezing equipment. 2. The agricultural and marine products or processed food according to claim 1, wherein the cooling mechanism includes a circulating water pipe communicating with the inside of the tank, and an external freezing mechanism communicating with the circulating water pipe. type of quick freezing equipment.